This invention relates to novel erythromycin derivatives that are useful as antibacterial agents and antiprotozoa agents and for other applications (e.g., anticancer, atherosclerosis, gastric motility reduction, etc.) in mammals, including man, as well as in fish and birds. This invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing the novel compounds and to methods of treating bacterial infections and protozoa infections and in mammals, fish and birds by administering the novel compounds to mammals, fish and birds requiring such treatment.
Macrolide antibiotics are known to be useful in the treatment of a broad sprectrum of bacterial infections and protozoa infections in mammals, fish and birds. Such antibiotics include various derivatives of erythromycin A such as azithromycin which is commercially available and is referred to in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,474,768 and 4,517,359, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Additional macrolides are referred to in U.S. patent application serial No. 60/049349, filed Jun. 11, 1997 (Yong-Jin Wu), U.S. patent application serial No. 60/046150, filed May 9, 1997 (Yong-Jin Wu), U.S. patent application serial No. 60/063,676, filed Oct. 29, 1997 (Yong-Jin Wu), U.S. application serial No. 60/063,161, filed Oct. 29, 1997 (Yong-Jin Wu), U.S. application serial No. 60/054,866, filed Aug. 6, 1997 (Hiroko Masamune, Yong-Jin Wu, Takushi Kaneko and Paul R. McGuirk), U.S. application serial No. 60/049,348, filed Jun. 11, 1997 (Brian S. Bronk, Michael A. Letavic, Takushi Kaneko and Bingwei V. Yang), International Application No. PCT/GB97/01810 filed Jul. 4, 1997 (Peter Francis Leadlay, James Staunton, Jesus Cortes and Michael Stephen Pacey), and International Application No. PCT/GB97/01819 filed Jul. 4, 1997 (Peter Francis Leadlay, James Staunton, and Jesus Cortes), all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Like azithromycin and other macrolide antibiotics, the novel macrolide compounds of the present invention possess potent activity against various bacterial infections and protozoa infections as described below.
The present invention relates to compounds of the formula 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is an alpha-branched C3-C8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups; a C5-C8 cycloalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha-branched C2-C5 alkyl group; a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or C5-C8 cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methyl or one or more hydroxyl or one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms;
or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, trifluoromethyl, and cyano;
or R may be with a formula (a) as shown below 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and a+b+c+dxe2x89xa65;
or R is CH2R24, wherein R24 is H, C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in each alkyl or alkoxy group wherein any of said alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl or alkynyl groups may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups or by one or more halo atoms; or a C3-C8cycloalkyl or C5-C8cycloalkenyl either or which may be optionally substituted by methyl or one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a group of the formula SR23 wherein R23 is C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C5-C8cycloalkenyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl wherein the substituent is C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or halo, or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur-containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; and
R4 is H or acyl of an organic acid of up to 18 carbon atoms.
The present invention further relates to compounds of the formula
A compound of the formula 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is an alpha-branched C3-C8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups; a C5-C8 cycloalkylalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha-branched C2-C5 alkyl group; a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or C5-C8 cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methyl or one or more hydroxyl or one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms;
or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, trifluoromethyl, and cyano; or R may be with a formula (a) as shown below 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and a+b+c+dxe2x89xa65;
X is xe2x80x94(CR5R8)gxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, wherein g is 0 or 1;
wherein when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 optionally may be taken together to form xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90CR7R8,
or when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 optionally may be taken together to form a heterocyclic of the formula 
wherein n is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, p is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, q is 0 or 1, and R9 is selected from CH2, O, S, Cxe2x95x90O, Cxe2x95x90S, SO2, xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CH(OH)CH(OH)xe2x80x94, and NH;
or when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 together form a heterocyclic as defined above having substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R12, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
or R is CH2R24, wherein R24 is H, C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in each alkyl or alkoxy group wherein any of said alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl or alkynyl groups may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups or by one or more halo atoms; or a C3-C8cycloalkyl or C5-C8cycloalkenyl either or which may be optionally substituted by methyl or one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a group of the formula SR23 wherein R23 is C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C5-C8cycloalkenyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl wherein the substituent is C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or halo, or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur-containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms;
R10 and R11 are each independently selected from H, C1-C10 alkyl;
or R3 is selected from H, C(xe2x95x90O)Z, C(xe2x95x90O)OZ, (CR5R6)mZ, C(xe2x95x90O)R7, C(xe2x95x90O)OR7, (CR5R6)mR7, wherein m is an integer ranging from 0 to 6;
Z is a 4-10 membered heterocyclic or C6-C10 aryl, wherein said heterocyclic and aryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
R4 is H or acyl of an organic carboxylic acid of up to 18 carbon atoms;
R5 and R6 are each independently selected from H, C1-C6 alkyl, halogen: and R5 and R6 may each independently vary when m is greater than 1; and
R7 and R8 are each independently selected from H, C1-C18 alkyl, wherein one or two carbons of said alkyl are optionally replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, S and N, and are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11.
The present invention further relates to compounds of the formula
A compound of the formula 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is an alpha-branched C3-C8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups; a C5-C8 cycloalkylalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha-branched C2-C5 alkyl group; a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or C5-C8 cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methyl or one or more hydroxyl or one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms;
or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, trifluoromethyl, and cyano; or R may be with a formula (a) as shown below: 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and a+b+c+dxe2x89xa65;
X is xe2x80x94(CR5R6)gxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, wherein g is 0 or 1,
wherein when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 optionally may be taken together to form xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90CR7R8,
or when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 optionally may be taken together to form a heterocyclic of the formula 
wherein n is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, p is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, q is 0 or 1, and R9 is selected from CH2, O, S, Cxe2x95x90O, Cxe2x95x90S, SO2, xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CH(OH)CH(OH)xe2x80x94, and NH;
or when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 together form a heterocyclic as defined above having substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
or R is CH2R24, wherein R24 is H, C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in each alkyl or alkoxy group wherein any of said alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl or alkynyl groups may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups or by one or more halo atoms; or a C3-C8cycloalkyl or C5-C8cycloalkenyl either or which may be optionally substituted by methyl or one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a group of the formula SR23 wherein R23 is C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C5-C8cycloalkenyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl wherein the substituent is C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or halo, or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur-containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms;
R10 and R11 are each independently selected from H, C1-C10 alkyl;
or R3 is selected from H, C(xe2x95x90O)Z, C(xe2x95x90O)OZ, (CR5R6)mZ, C(xe2x95x90O)R7, C(xe2x95x90O)OR7, (CR5R6)mR7 wherein m is selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 6;
Z is a 4-10 membered heterocyclic or C6-C10 aryl; wherein said heterocyclic and aryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10 xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
R4 is H or acyl of an organic carboxylic acid of up to 18 carbon atoms;
R5 and R6 are each independently selected from H, C1-C6 alkyl, halogen: and R5 and R6 may each independently vary when m is greater than 1;
where the bond between C9 and the nitrogen to which C9 is linked is a single bond, R1 and R2 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are linked optionally may together form xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90CR7R8, or R1 and R2 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are linked optionally may together form a heterocyclic of the formula 
wherein n is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, p is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, q is 0 or 1, and R9 is selected from CH2, O, S, Cxe2x95x90O, Cxe2x95x90S, SO2, xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CH(OH)CH(OH)xe2x80x94, and NH; or X and R3 together form a heterocyclic as defined above having substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11; and
R1, R2, R7, and R8 are each independently selected from H, C1-C12 alkyl, wherein one or two carbons of said alkyl are optionally replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, S and N, and are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
where the bond between C9 and the nitrogen to which C9 is linked is a double bond, R1 is not existent, and R2 is OR7, wherein R7 is defined as above.
The present invention further relates to compounds of the formula 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is an alpha-branched C3-C8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups; a C5-C8 cycloalkylalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha-branched C2-C5 alkyl group; a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or C5-C8 cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methyl or one or more hydroxyl or one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms;
or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, trifluoromethyl, and cyano;
or R may be with a formula (a) as shown below 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and a+b+c+d xe2x89xa65;
or R is CH2R24, wherein R24 is H, C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in each alkyl or alkoxy group wherein any of said alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl or alkynyl groups may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups or by one or more halo atoms; or a C3-C8cycloalkyl or C5-C8cycloalkenyl either or which may be optionally substituted by methyl or one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a group of the formula SR23 wherein R23 is C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C5-C8cycloalkenyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl wherein the substituent is C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or halo, or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur-containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms;
R3, R2, R7, and R8 are independently selected from H, C1-C18 alkyl, wherein one or two carbons of said alkyl are optionally replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, S and N, and are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11; and
R10 and R11 are each independently selected from H, C1-C10alkyl; and
R4 is H or acyl of an organic carboxylic acid of up to 18 carbon atoms.
The present invention further relates to compounds of the formula 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is an alpha-branched C3-C8, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups; a C5-C8 cycloalkylalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha-branched C2-C5 alkyl group; a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or C5-C8 cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methyl or one or more hydroxyl or one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms;
or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, trifluoromethyl, and cyano; or R may be with a formula (a) as shown below: 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and a+b+c+d xe2x89xa65;
or R is CH2R24, wherein R24 is H, C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in each alkyl or alkoxy group wherein any of said alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl or alkynyl groups may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups or by one or more halo atoms; or a C3-C8cycloalkyl or C5-C8cycloalkenyl either or which may be optionally substituted by methyl or one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a group of the formula SR23 wherein R23 is C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C5-C8cycloalkenyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl wherein the substituent is C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or halo, or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur-containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms;
R10 and R11 are independently selected from H, C1-C10 alkyl;
R3 is selected from H, C(xe2x95x90O)Z, C(xe2x95x90O)OZ, (CR5R6)mZ, C(xe2x95x90O)R7, C(xe2x95x90O)OR7, (CR5R6)mR7 wherein m is selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 6;
Z is a 4-10 membered heterocyclic or C6-C10 aryl, wherein said heterocyclic and aryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
R5 and R6 are independently selected from H, C1-C6 alkyl, halogen: and R5 and R6 may each vary independently when m is greater than 1;
R2, R7, and R8 are each independently selected from H, C1-C18 alkyl, wherein one or two carbons of said alkyl are optionally replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, S and N, and are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11; and
R4 is H or acyl of an organic carboxylic acid of up to 18 carbon atoms.
The preferred compounds of formula 1 include those selected from the group consisting of:
the compound of formula 1 wherein R is Me and R4 is H;
the compound of formula 1 wherein R is n-butyl and R4 is H;
the compound of formula 1 wherein R is MeS and R4 is H;
the compound of formula 1 wherein R is EtS and R4 is H;
the compound of formula 1 wherein R is cyclopropyl and R4 is H;
the compound of formula 1 wherein R is cyclobutyl and R4 is H;
the compound of formula 1 wherein R is cyclopentyl and R4 is H; and
the compound of formula 1 wherein R is cyclohexyl and R4 is H.
The preferred compounds of formula 2 include those selected from the group consisting of:
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R=Me, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is Me, R4 is H; X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R4 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H; X is CH2 and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is CH, and R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl;
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is NH and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl; and
the compound of formula 2 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is CH2 and R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl.
The preferred compounds of formula 3 wherein the bond between C-9 and the nitrogen to which C-9 is connected is a double bond include those selected from the group consisting of:
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl and R2 is OMe
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopentyl; R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopentyl; R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl and R2 is OMe;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl and R2 is OMe
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl and R2 is OMe; and
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl and R2 is OMe.
Other preferred compounds of formula 3, wherein the bond between C-9 and the nitrogen to which C-9 is connected is a single bond, include those wherein:
the compound of formula 3 wherein R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)propyl; R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr,
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, X is NH,R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R1 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr;
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl )-propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr; and
the compound of formula 3 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, X is NH, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R1 is H and R2 is Me, Et, or n-Pr.
The preferred compounds of formula 5 include those selected from the group consisting of:
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is Me, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R7is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R7is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is n-butyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R1 is H, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R7 is R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is MeS, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R7is H, R8is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is EtS, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R7is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclopropyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclobutyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclopentyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-quinolin-4-yl-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et;
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-phenyl-imidazol-1-yl)-propyl, R7 is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me, or Et; and
the compound of formula 5 wherein R is cyclohexyl, R4 is H, R3 is 3-(4-(3-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl, R7is H, R8 is H and R2 is H, Me or Et.
The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a bacterial infection or a protozoa infection in a mammal, fish, or bird which comprises a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formulas 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
The invention also relates to a method of treating a bacterial infection or a protozoa infection in a mammal, fish, or bird which comprises administering to said mammal, fish or bird a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
The invention also relates to a process for preparing a compound of the formula 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is methyl, an alpha-branched C3-C8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups; a C5-C8 cycloalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha-branched C2-C5 alkyl group; a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or C5-C8 cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methyl or one or more hydroxyl or one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms;
or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, trifluoromethyl, and cyano;
or R may be with a formula (a) as shown below 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and a+b+c+dxe2x89xa65; and
R4 is H or acyl of an organic acid of up to 18 carbon atoms, which comprises treating a compound of the formula 
wherein R and R4 are as defined in formula 1 with a hydrolyzing agent.
The invention also relates to a process for preparing a compound of the formula 
wherein R, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined in formula 2 and X in formula 2 is xe2x80x94NR5 which comprises treating a compound of the formula 
wherein R and R4 are as defined in formula 2, with an alkylating agent.
The invention also relates to a process for preparing a compound of the formula 
wherein R, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are as defined in formula 2 and X in formula 2 is xe2x80x94(CR5R6)gxe2x80x94 which comprises treating a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2 with a compound of the formula R3xe2x80x94C(R5R6)gxe2x80x94NH2, wherein g is 0 or 1 and R3, R5 and R6 are as defined in formula 2.
The invention also relates to a process for preparing a compound of the formula 
wherein R and R4 are as defined in formula 2, by treating a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2, with NH2NH2.
The invention also relates to a process for preparing a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2 which comprises treating a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2 with carbonyldiimidazole.
The invention also relates to a process for preparing a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2 which comprises treating a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2 with a base.
The invention also relates to a process for preparing a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2 which comprises treating a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2 with an oxidizing agent.
The invention also relates to a process for preparing a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2 which comprises treating a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2 with an acid.
The invention also relates to a process for preparing a compound of the formula 
wherein R is defined in formula 2 which comprises treating a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2, with trichloromethylisocyanate, ethylene carbonate or caronyyldiimidazole.
The invention also relates to a process for preparing a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2 which comprises treating a compound of the formula 
wherein R is as defined in formula 2 with an acylating agent
The invention further relates to a compound of the formula 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is an alpha-branched C3-C8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups; a C5-C8 cycloalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha-branched C2-C5 alkyl group; a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or C5-C8 cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methyl or one or more hydroxyl or one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms;
or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, trifluoromethyl, and cyano;
or R may be with a formula (a) as shown below 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and a+b+c+dxe2x89xa65;
or R is CH2R24, wherein R24 is H, C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in each alkyl or alkoxy group wherein any of said alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl or alkynyl groups may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups or by one or more halo atoms; or a C3-C8cycloalkyl or C5-C8cycloalkenyl either or which may be optionally substituted by methyl or one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a group of the formula SR23 wherein R23 is C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C5-C8cycloalkenyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl wherein the substituent is C1C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or halo, or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur-containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms;and
R4 is H or acyl of an organic acid of up to 18 carbon atoms.
The invention also relates to a compound of the formula 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is an alpha-branched C3-C8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups; a C5-C8 cycloalkylalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha branched C2-C5 alkyl group; a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or C5-C8 cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methyl or one or more hydroxyl or one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms;
or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, trifluoromethyl, and cyano; or R may be with a formula (a) as shown below 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and a+b+c+dxe2x89xa65;
X is xe2x80x94(CR5R6)gxe2x80x94 or NR5xe2x80x94, wherein g is 0 or 1;
wherein when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 optionally may be taken together to form Nxe2x95x90CR7R8,
or when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 optionally may be taken together to form a heterocyclic of the formula 
wherein n is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, p is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, q is 0 or 1, and R9 is selected from CH2, O, S, Cxe2x95x90O, Cxe2x95x90S, SO2, xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CH(OH)CH(OH)xe2x80x94, and NH;
or when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 together form a heterocyclic as defined above having substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R12, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
or R is CH2R24, wherein R24 is H, C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in each alkyl or alkoxy group wherein any of said alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl or alkynyl groups may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups or by one or more halo atoms; or a C3-C8cycloalkyl or C5-C8cycloalkenyl either or which may be optionally substituted by methyl or one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a group of the formula SR23 wherein R23 is C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2xe2x80x94C8alkynyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C5-C8cycloalkenyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl wherein the substituent is C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or halo, or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur-containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms;
R10 and R11 are each independently selected from H, C1-C10 alkyl;
or R is selected from H, C(xe2x95x90O)Z, C(xe2x95x90O)OZ, (CR5R6)mZ , C(xe2x95x90O)R7, C(xe2x95x90O)OR7, (CR5R6)mR7, wherein m is an integer ranging from 0 to 6;
Z is a 4-10 membered heterocyclic or C6-C10 aryl, wherein said heterocyclic and aryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10 xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
R4 is H or acyl of an organic carboxylic acid of up to 18 carbon atoms;
R5 and R6 are each independently selected from H, C1-C6 alkyl, halogen: and R5 and R6 may each independently vary when m is greater than 1; and
R7 and R8 are each independently selected from H, C1-C18 alkyl, wherein one or two carbons of said alkyl are optionally replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, S and N, and are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11.
The invention further relates to a compound of the formula 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is an alpha-branched C3-C8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups; a C5-C8 cycloalkylalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha-branched C2-C5 alkyl group; a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or C5-C8 cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methyl or one or more hydroxyl or one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms;
or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, trifluoromethyl, and cyano; or R may be with a formula (a) as shown below: 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and a+b+c+dxe2x89xa65;
X is xe2x80x94(CR5R6)gxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, wherein g is 0 or 1,
wherein when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 optionally may be taken together to form xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90CR7R8,
or when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 optionally may be taken together to form a heterocyclic of the formula 
wherein n is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, p is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, q is 0 or 1, and R9 is selected from CH2, O, S, Cxe2x95x90O, Cxe2x95x90S, SO2, xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CH(OH)CH(OH)xe2x80x94, and NH;
or when X is xe2x80x94NR5xe2x80x94, X and R3 together form a heterocyclic as defined above having substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
or R is CH2R24, wherein R24 is H, C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in each alkyl or alkoxy group wherein any of said alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl or alkynyl groups may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups or by one or more halo atoms; or a C3-C8cycloalkyl or C5-C8cycloalkenyl either or which may be optionally substituted by methyl or one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a group of the formula SR23 wherein R23 is C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C5-C8cycloalkenyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl wherein the substituent is C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or halo, or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur-containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms;
R10 and R11 are each independently selected from H, C1-C10 alkyl;
or R3 is selected from H, C(xe2x95x90O)Z, C(xe2x95x90O)OZ, (CR5R6)mZ, C(xe2x95x90O)R7, C(xe2x95x90O)OR7, (CR5R6)mR7 wherein m is selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 6;
Z is a 4-10 membered heterocyclic or C6-C10 aryl; wherein said heterocyclic and aryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
R4 is H or acyl of an organic carboxylic acid of up to 18 carbon atoms;
R5 and R8 are each independently selected from H, C1-C6 alkyl, halogen: and R5 and R8 may each independently vary when m is greater than 1;
where the bond between C9 and the nitrogen to which C9 is linked is a single bond, R1 and R2 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are linked optionally may together form xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90CR7R8, or R1 and R2 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are linked optionally may together form a heterocyclic of the formula 
wherein n is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, p is selected from an integer ranging from 1 to 3, q is 0 or 1, and R9 is selected from CH2, O, S, Cxe2x95x90O, Cxe2x95x90S, SO2, xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CH(OH)CH(OH)xe2x80x94, and NH; or X and R3 together form a heterocyclic as defined above having substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11; and
R1, R2, R7, and R8 are each independently selected from H, C1-C12 alkyl, wherein one or two carbons of said alkyl are optionally replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, S and N, and are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
where the bond between C9 and the nitrogen to which C9 is linked is a double bond, R1 is not existent, and R2 is OR7, wherein R7 is defined as above.
The invention also relates to a compound of the formula: 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is an alpha branched C3-C8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups; a C5-C8 cycloalkylalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha-branched C2-C5 alkyl group; a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or C5-C8 cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methyl or one or more hydroxyl or one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms;
or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, trifluoromethyl, and cyano;
or R may be with a formula (a) as shown below 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and a+b+c+dxe2x89xa65;
or R is CH2R24, wherein R24 is H, C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in each alkyl or alkoxy group wherein any of said alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl or alkynyl groups may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups or by one or more halo atoms; or a C3-C8cycloalkyl or C5-C8cycloalkenyl either or which may be optionally substituted by methyl or one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a group of the formula SR23 wherein R23 is C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C5-C8cycloalkenyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl wherein the substituent is C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or halo, or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur-containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms;
R3, R2, R7, and R8 are independently selected from H, C1-C18 alkyl, wherein one or two carbons of said alkyl are optionally replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, S and N, and are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11; and
R10 and R11 are each independently selected from H, C1-C10alkyl; and
R4 is H or acyl of an organic carboxylic acid of up to 18 carbon atoms.
The invention also relates, to a compound of the formula 
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is an alpha-branched C3-C8 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl group any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups; a C5-C8 cycloalkylalkyl group wherein the alkyl group is an alpha-branched C2-C5 alkyl group; a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or C5-C8 cycloalkenyl group, either of which may optionally be substituted by methyl or one or more hydroxyl or one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4 alkyl groups or halo atoms;
or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, trifluoromethyl, and cyano; or R may be with a formula (a) as shown below: 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 2 and a+b+c+dxe2x89xa65;
or R is CH2R24, wherein R24 is H, C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkylthioalkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in each alkyl or alkoxy group wherein any of said alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl or alkynyl groups may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups or by one or more halo atoms; or a C3-C8cycloalkyl or C5-C8cycloalkenyl either or which may be optionally substituted by methyl or one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms; or a group of the formula SR23 wherein R23 is C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8alkynyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C5-C8cycloalkenyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl wherein the substituent is C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy or halo, or a 3 to 6 membered oxygen or sulphur-containing heterocyclic ring which may be saturated, or fully or partially unsaturated and which may optionally be substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl groups or halo atoms;
R10 and R11 are independently selected from H, C1-C10 alkyl;
R3 is selected from H, C(xe2x95x90O)Z, C(xe2x95x90O)OZ, (CR5R6)mZ, C(xe2x95x90O)R7, C(xe2x95x90O)OR7, (CR5R6)mR7 wherein m is selected from an integer ranging from 0 to 6;
Z is a 4-10 membered heterocyclic or C6-C10 aryl, wherein said heterocyclic and aryl groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O)R10xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11;
R5 and R6 are independently selected from H, C1-C6 alkyl, halogen: and R5 and R6 may each vary independently when m is greater than 1;
R2, R7, and R8 are each independently selected from H, C1-C18 alkyl, wherein one or two carbons of said alkyl are optionally replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, S and N, and are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94C(O)OR10, xe2x80x94OR10, C1-C10 alkanoyl, halo, nitro, cyano, R10, 4-10 membered heterocyclic, C6-C10 aryl, xe2x80x94C(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NHC(O)R10, xe2x80x94NHC(O)NR10R11, xe2x80x94NR10R11, xe2x80x94SR10, xe2x80x94S(O) R10, xe2x80x94SO2R10 and xe2x80x94SO2NR10R11; and
R4 is H or acyl of an organic carboxylic acid of up to 18 carbon atoms.
The term xe2x80x9ctreatmentxe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes the treatment or prevention of a bacterial infection or protozoa infection as provided in the method of the present invention.
As used herein, unless otherwise indicated, the term xe2x80x9cbacterial infection(s)xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cprotozoa infections; includes bacterial infections and protozoa infections that occur in mammals, fish and birds as well as disorders related to bacterial infections and protozoa infections that may be treated or prevented by administering antibiotics such as the compounds of the present invention. Such bacterial infections and protozoa infections and disorders related to such infections include the following: pneumonia, otitis media, sinusitus, bronchitis, tonsillitis, and mastoiditis related to infection by Streptococcus pneumonlae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Staphylococcus aureus, or Peptostreptococcus spp.; pharynigitis, rheumatic fever, and glomerulonephritis related to infection by Streptococcus pyogenes, Groups C and G streptococci, Clostridium diptheriae, or Actinobacillus haemolyticum; respiratory tract infections related to infection by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, or Chlamydia pneumoniae; uncomplicated skin and soft tissue infections, abscesses and osteomyelitis, and puerperal fever related to infection by Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-positive staphylococci (i.e., S. epidermidis, S. hemolyticus, etc.), Streptococcus pyogenes , Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcal groups C-F (minute-colony streptococci), viridans streptococci, Corynebacterium minutissimum, Clostridium spp., or Bartonella henselae; uncomplicated acute urinary tract infections related to infection by Staphylococcus saprophyticus or Enterococcus spp.: urethritis and cervicitis; and sexually transmitted diseases related to infection by Chlamydia trachomatis, Haemophilus ducreyi, Treponema pallidum, Ureaplasma urealyticum, or Neiserria gonorrheae; toxin diseases related to infection by S. aureus (food poisoning and Toxic shock syndrome), or Groups A, B, and C streptococci; ulcers related to infection by Helicobacter pylori; systemic febrile syndromes related to infection by Borrelia recurrentis; Lyme disease related to infection by Borrelia burgdorferi; conjunctivits, keratitis, and dacrocystitis related to infection by Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, S. aureus, S. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes, H. influenzae, or Listeria spp.; disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease related to infection by Mycobacterium avium, or Mycobacterium intracellulare; gastroenteritis related to infection by Campylobacter jejuni; intestinal protozoa related to infection by Cryptosporidium spp.; odontogenic infection related to infection by viridans streptococci; persistent cough related to infection by Bordetella pertussis; gas gangrene related to infection by Clostridium perfringens or Bacteroides spp.; and atherosclerosis related to infection by Helicobacter pylori or Chlamydia pneumoniae. Bacterial infections and protozoa infections and disorders related to such infections that may be treated or prevented in animals include the following: bovine respiratory disease related to infection by P. haem., P. multocida, Mycoplasma bovis, or Bordetella spp.; cow enteric disease related to infection by E. coli or protozoa (i.e., coccidia, cryptosporidia, etc.); dairy cow mastitis related to infection by Staph. aureus, Strep. uberis, Strep. agalactiae, Strep. dysgalactiae, Kiebsiella spp., Corynebacterium, or Enterococcus spp.; swine respiratory disease related to infection by A. pleuro., P. multocida, or Mycoplasma spp.; swine enteric disease related to infection by E. coli, Lawsonia intracellularis, Salmonella, or Serpulina hyodyisinteriae; cow footrot related to infection by Fusobacterium spp.; cow metritis related to infection by E. coli, cow hairy warts related to infection by Fusobacterium necrophorum or Bacteroides nodosus; cow pink-eye related to infection by Moraxella bovis; cow premature abortion related to infection by protozoa (i.e. neosporium); urinary tract infection in dogs and cats related to infection by E. coli; skin and soft tissue infections in dogs and cats related to infection by Staph. epidermidis, Staph. intermedius, coagulase neg. Staph. or P. multocida; and dental or mouth infections in dogs and cats related to infection by Alcaligenes spp., Bacteroides spp., Clostridium spp., Enterobacter spp., Eubacterium, Peptostreptococcus, Porphyromonas, or Prevotella. Other bacterial infections and protozoa infections and disorders related to such infections that may be treated or prevented in accord with the method of the present invention are referred to in J. P. Sanford et al., xe2x80x9cThe Sanford Guide To Antimicrobial Therapy,xe2x80x9d 26th Edition, (Antimicrobial Therapy, Inc., 1996).
The present invention also relates to a method of preparing the above compounds of formulas 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
The compounds of the present invention can be prepared as follows. The starting compounds used in the preparation of the compounds of formulas 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 can prepared using the methods described below and further, in International Application No. PCT/GB97/01810 filed Jul. 4, 1997 (Peter Francis Leadlay, James Staunton, Jesus Cortes and Michael Stephen Pacey), and International Application No. PCT/GB97/01819 filed Jul. 4, 1997 (Peter Francis Leadlay, James Staunton, and Jesus Cortes), both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The compounds of formulas 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 can then be prepared from these starting compounds using conventional methods known to one skilled in the art.
The present invention also relates to the compounds of formulas 2 to 20 which, are useful in the preparation of the above compounds of formulas 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.
Polyketides, and methods and means for preparing them, and specifically the novel macrolides that are useful in the preparation of the compounds of the present invention are prepared by fermenting suitable organisms in the presence of a carboxylic acid of the formula RCO2H, where R is as defined the compound of formula 1. A preferred organism is Saccharopolyspora erythraea preferably containing an integrated plasmid capable of directing synthesis of desired compounds. In producing such novel polyketides, polyketide biosynthetic genes or portions of them, which may be derived from different polyketide biosynthetic gene clusters are manipulated to allow the production of novel erythromycins.
Polyketides are a large and structurally diverse class of natural products that includes many compounds possessing antibiotic or other pharmacological properties, such as erythromycin, tetracyclines, rapamycin, avermectin, polyether ionophores, and FK506. In particular, polyketides are abundantly produced by Streptomyces and related actinomycete bacteria. They are synthesised by the repeated stepwise condensation of acylthioesters in a manner analogous to that of fatty acid biosynthesis. The greater structural diversity found among natural polyketides arises from the selection of (usually) acetate or propionate as xe2x80x9cstarterxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cextenderxe2x80x9d units; and from the differing degree of processing of the b-keto group observed after each condensation. Examples of processing steps include reduction to b-hydroxyacyl-, reduction followed by dehydration to 2-enoyl-, and complete reduction to the saturated acylthioester. The stereochemical outcome of these processing steps is also specified for each cycle of chain extension. The biosynthesis of polyketides is initiated by a group of chain-forming enzymes known as polyketide synthases. Two classes of polyketide synthase (PKS) have been described in actinomycetes. However, the novel polyketides and processes which are used in preparing the compounds the present invention are synthesised by Type I PKS""s, represented by the PKS""s for the macrolides erythromycin, avermectin and rapamycin, and consist of a different set or xe2x80x9cmodulexe2x80x9d of enzymes for each cycle of polyketide chain extension (Cortes, J. et al. Nature (1990) 348:176-178; Donadio, S. et al. Science (1991) 252:675-679; MacNeil, D. J. et al. Gene (1992), 115:119-125; Schwecke, T. et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1995) 92:7839-7843). Note: The term xe2x80x9cnatural modulexe2x80x9d as used herein refers to the set of contiguous domains, from a b-ketoacylsynthase (xe2x80x9cKSxe2x80x9d) gene to the next acyl carrier protein (xe2x80x9cACPxe2x80x9d) gene, which accomplishes one cycle of polyketide chain extension. The term xe2x80x9ccombinatorial modulexe2x80x9d is used to refer to any group of contiguous domains (and domain parts), extending from a first point in a first natural module, to a second equivalent point in a second natural module. The first and second points will generally be in core domains which are present in all modules, i.e., both at equivalent points of respective KS, AT (acyl transferase), ACP domains, or in linker regions between domains.
The organisation of the erythromycin producing PKS, (also known as 6-deoxyerythronolide B synthase, DEBS) genes contains three open reading frames encode the DEBS polypeptides. The genes are organised in six repeated units designated modules. The first open reading frame encodes the first multi-enzyme or cassette (DEBS1) which consists of three modules: the loading module (ery-load) and two extension modules (modules 1 and 2). The loading module comprises an acyl transferase and an acyl carrier protein. This may be contrasted with FIG. 1 of WO93/13663 (referred to below). This shows ORF1 to consist of only two modules, the first of which is in fact both the loading module and the first extension module.
In-frame deletion of the DNA encoding part of the ketoreductase domain of module 5 in DEBS has been shown to lead to the formation of erythromycin analogues 5,6-dideoxy-3-mycarosyl-5-oxoerythronolide B, 5,6-dideoxy-5-oxoerythronolide B and 5,6-dideoxy-6,6-epoxy-5-oxoerythronolide B (Donadio, S. et al. Science, (1991) 252:675-679). Likewise, alteration of active site residues in the enoylreductase domain of module 4 in DEBS, by genetic engineering of the corresponding PKS-encoding DNA and its introduction into Saccharopolyspora erythraea, led to the production of 6,7-anhydroerythromycin C (Donadio S. et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1993) 90:7119-7123).
International Patent Application number WO 93/13663, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes additional types of genetic manipulation of the DEBS genes that are capable of producing altered polyketides. However, many such attempts are reported to have been unproductive (Hutchinson C. R. and Fujii, l. Annu. Rev. Microbiol. (1995) 49:201-238, at p.231). The complete DNA sequence of the genes from Streptomyces hygroscopicus that encode the modular Type I PKS governing the biosynthesis of the macrocyclic immunosuppressant polyketide rapamycin has been disclosed (Schwecke, T. et al. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92:7839-7843). The DNA sequence is deposited in the EMBL/Genbank Database under the accession number X86780.
The complex polyketides produced by modular Type I PKS""s are particularly valuable, in that they include compounds with known utility as anthelminthics, insecticides, immunosuppressants, antifungal, and/or antibacterial agents. Because of their structural complexity, such novel polyketides are not readily obtainable by total chemical synthesis, or by chemical modifications of known Polyketides. As described in International Application PCT/GB97/01810, the Type I PKS gene assembly encodes a loading module which is followed by extension modules. It is particularly useful to provide a hybrid PKS gene assembly in which the loading module is heterologous to the extension modules and is such as to lead to a polyketide having an altered starter unit. As noted in in International Application PCT/GB97/01810, this is a concept quite unknown to the prior art since this does not recognise the existence of loading modules. WO93/13663 refers to altering PKS genes by inactivating a single function (i.e. a single enzyme) or affecting xe2x80x9can entire modulexe2x80x9d by deletion, insertion, or replacement thereof. The loading assembly, in their terms, is not a module.
If the loading module is one which accepts many different carboxylic acid units, then the hybrid gene assembly can be used to produce many different polyketides. For example, a hybrid gene assembly may employ nucleic acid encoding an avr loading module with ery extender modules. A loading module may accept unnatural acid units and derivatives thereof, the avr loading module is particularly useful in this regard (Dutton et al., (1991) J. Antibiot., 44:357-365). In addition, it is possible to determine the specificity of the natural loading module for unnatural starter units and to take advantage of the relaxed specificity of the loading module to generate novel polyketides. Thus, International Application PCT/GB97/01810 describes the unexpected ability of the ery loading module to incorporate unnatural carboxylic acids and derivatives thereof to produce novel erythromycins in erythromycin-producing strains containing only DEBS genes. Of course one may also make alterations within a product polyketide particularly by replacing an extension module by one that gives a ketide unit at a different oxidation state and/or with a different stereochemistry. It has generally been assumed that the stereochemistry of the methyl groups in the polyketide chain is determined by the acyltransferase, but it is, in fact, a feature of other domains of the PKS and thus open to variation only by replacement of those domains, individually or by module replacement. Methyl and other substituents can be added or removed by acyltransferase domain replacement or total module replacement. Consequently, it also becomes apparent to those skilled in the art that it is possible to combine the use of the relaxed substrate specificity of the erythromycin loading module with extension module replacement and hybrid loading module substitution with extension module replacement as a mechanism to produce a wide range of novel erythromycins. Thus, International Application PCT/GB97/01810 describes the production of novel erythromycins by non-transformed organisms and also such gene assemblies, vectors containing such gene assemblies, and transformant organisms that can express them to produce novel erythromycins in transformed organisms. Transformant organisms may harbour recombinant plasmids, or the plasmids may integrate. A plasmid with an int sequence will integrate into a specific attachment site (att) of a host""s chromosome. Transformant organisms may be capable of modifying the initial products, e.g., by carrying out all or some of the biosynthetic modifications normal in the production of erythromycins. However, use may be made of mutant organisms such that some of the normal pathways are blocked, e.g., to produce products without one or more xe2x80x9cnaturalxe2x80x9d hydroxy-groups or sugar groups, for instance as described in WO 91/16334 or in Weber et al. (1985) J. Bacteriol. 164:425-433 which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Alternatively, use may be made of organisms in which some of the normal pathways are overexpressed to overcome potential rate-limiting steps in the production of the desired product, for instance as described in WO 97/06266 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
This aspect of the method is largely concerned with treating PKS gene modules as building blocks that can be used to construct enzyme systems, and thus novel erythromycin products, of desired types. This generally involves the cutting out and the assembly of modules and multi-module groupings. Logical places for making and breaking intermodular connections are be in the linking regions between modules. However, it may be preferable to make cuts and joins actually within domains (i.e., the enzyme-coding portions), close to the edges thereof. The DNA is highly conserved here between all modular PKS""s, and this may aid in the construction of hybrids that can be transcribed. It may also assist in maintaining the spacing of the active sites of the encoded enzymes, which may be important. For example, in producing a hybrid gene by replacing the ery loading module by an avr loading module, the ery module together with a small amount of the following ketosynthase (KS) domain was removed. The start of the KS domain (well spaced from the active site) is highly conserved and therefore provides a suitable splicing site as an alternative to the linker region between the loading domain and the start of the KS domain. The excised ery module was then replaced by an avr loading module.
In fact, when substituting a loading module, it may be desirable to replace not just the loading module domains (generally acyl transferase (AT) and acyl carrier protein (ACP)), but also the KS at the start of the following extension module. Typically, the excised loading module would have provided a propionate starter, and the replacement is intended to provide one or more different starters. Propionate, however, may feed into the KS of the extension module from a propionate pool in the host cell, leading to dilution of the desired products. This can be largely prevented by substituting an extended loading module including all or most of the KS domain. (The splice site may be in the end region of the KS gene, or early in the following AT gene, or the linker region between them.)
When replacing xe2x80x9cmodulesxe2x80x9d, one is not restricted to xe2x80x9cnaturalxe2x80x9d modules. For example, a xe2x80x9ccombinatorial modulexe2x80x9d to be excised and/or replaced and/or inserted may extend from the corresponding domain of two natural-type modules, e.g., from the AT of one module to the AT of the next, or from KS to KS. The splice sites will be in corresponding conserved marginal regions or in linker regions. A combinatorial module can also be a xe2x80x98doublexe2x80x99 or larger multiple, for adding 2 or more modules at a time.
International Application PCT/GB97/01810 describes novel erythromycins obtainable by means of the previous aspects. These are included in the following description.
An erythromycin analogue (being a macrolide compound with a 14-membered ring) in which a substitutent R, on the C-13 position, bears a side-chain other than ethyl, generally a straight chain C3-C6 alkyl group, a branched C3-C8 alkyl group, a C3-C8 cycloalkyl or cycloalkenyl group (optionally substituted, e.g., with one or more hydroxy, C1-4 alkyl or alkoxy groups or halogen atoms), or a 3-6 membered heterocycle containing O or S, saturated or fully or partially unsaturated, optionally substituted (as for cycloalkyl), or R is phenyl which may be optionally substituted with at least one substituent selected from C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy and C1-C4 alkylthio groups, halogen atoms, trifluoromethyl, and cyano; or R may be a group with a formula (a) as shown below: 
wherein X1 is O, S or xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94, a, b, c, and d are each independently 0 to 2 and a+b+c+dxe2x89xa65. Preferred candidates for the C-13 substituent R are the groups of carboxylate units RCOORxe2x80x2, usable as substrates by an avr starter module, or rapamycin starter variants. Preferred substrates are the carboxylic acids Rxe2x80x3COOH. Alternative substrates that can be effectively used are carboxylic acid salts, carboxylic acid esters, or amides. Preferred esters are N-acetyl-cysteamine thioesters which can readily be utilised as substrates by the avr starter module as. illustrated by Dutton et al. in EP 0350187 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Preferred amides are N-acyl imidazoles. Other alternative substrates that may be used are derivatives which are oxidative precursors for the carboxylic acids; thus, for example suitable substrates would be amino acids of the formula RCH(NH2)COOH, glyoxylic acids of the formula RCOCOOH, methylamine derivatives of the formula RCH2NH2, methanol derivatives of the formula RCH2OH, aldehydes of the formula RCHO or substituted alkanoic acids of the formula R(CH2)nCOOH wherein n is 2, 4, or 6. Thus examples of preferred substrates include isobutyrate (R=i-Pr) and 2-methylbutyrate (R=1-methylpropyl). Other possibilities include n-butyrate, cyclopropyl carboxylate, cyclobutyl carboxylate, cyclopentyl carboxylate cyclohexyl carboxylate, cycloheptanyl carboxylate, cyclohexenyl carboxylates, cycloheptenyl carboxylates, and ring-methylated variants of the cyclic carboxylates and the aforementioned derivatives thereof.
The erythromycin analogue may correspond to the initial product of a PKS (6-deoxyerythronolide) or the product after one or more of the normal biosynthetic steps. These comprise: 6-hydroxylation; 3O-glycosylation; 5O-glycosylation; 12-hydroxylation; and specific sugar methylation.
Thus, the analogues may include those corresponding to 6-deoxyerythronolide B, erythromycin A, and various intermediates and alternatives thereof.
(ii) Erythromycin analogues differing from the corresponding xe2x80x98naturalxe2x80x99 in the oxidation state of one or more of the ketide units (i.e. selection of alternatives from the group: xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CH(OH)xe2x80x94, xe2x95x90CHxe2x80x94, and xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94).
The stereochemistry of any xe2x80x94CH(OH)xe2x80x94 is also independently selectable.
(iii) Erythromycin analogues differing from the corresponding xe2x80x98naturalxe2x80x99 compound in the absence of a xe2x80x98naturalxe2x80x99 methyl side-chain. (This is achievable by use of a variant AT). Normal extension modules use either C2 or C3 units to provide unmethylated and methylated ketide units. One may provide unmethylated units where methylated units are natural (and vice versa, in systems where there are naturally unmethylated units) and also provide larger units, e.g., C4 to 15 provide ethyl substituents.
(iv) Erythromycin analogues differing from the corresponding xe2x80x98naturalxe2x80x99 compound in the stereochemistry of xe2x80x98naturalxe2x80x99 methyl; and/or ring substituents other than methyl.
(v) Erythromycin analogues having the features of two or more of sections (i) to (iv).
(vi) Derivatives of any of the above which have undergone further processing by non-PKS enzymes, e.g., one or more of hydroxylation, epoxidation, glycosylation, and methylation.
International Application PCT/GB97/01810 describes methods for the production of the novel erythromycins useful in the preparation of the compounds of the present invention. In the simplest method, unnatural starter units (preferably, but not restricted to the carboxylic acid analogues of the unnatural starter units) are introduced to untransformed organisms capable of producing erythromycins. A preferred approach involves introduction of the starter unit into fermentation broths of the erythromycin-producing organism, an approach which is more effective for transformed organisms capable of producing erythromycins. However, the starter unit analogue can also be introduced to alternative preparations of the erythromycin-producing organisms, for example, fractionated or unfractionated broken-cell preparations. Again, this approach is equally effective for transformed organisms capable of producing erythromycins. In another method, one or more segments of DNA encoding individual modules or domains within a heterologous Type I PKS (the xe2x80x9cdonorxe2x80x9d PKS) have been used to replace the DNA encoding, respectively, individual modules or domains within the DEBS genes of an erythromycin-producing organism. Loading modules and extension modules drawn from any natural or non-natural Type I PKS, are suitable for this xe2x80x9cdonorxe2x80x9d PKS but particularly suitable for this purpose are the components of Type I PKS""s for the biosynthesis of erythromycin, rapamycin, avermectin, tetronasin, oleandomycin, monensin, amphotericin, and rifamycin, for which the gene and modular organisation is known through gene sequence analysis, at least in part. Particularly favourable examples of the loading modules of the donor PKS are those loading modules showing a relaxed specificity, for example, the loading module of the avermectin (avr)-producing PKS of Streptomyces avermitilis; or those loading modules possessing an unusual specificity, for example, the loading modules of the rapamycin-, FK506 and ascomycin-producing PKS""s, all of which naturally accept a shikimate-derived starter unit. Unexpectedly, both the untransformed and genetically engineered erythromycin-producing organisms when cultured under suitable conditions have been found to produce non-natural erythromycins, and where appropriate, the products are found to undergo the same processing as the natural erythromycin.
International Application PCT/GB97/01810 further describes a plasmid containing xe2x80x9cdonorxe2x80x9d PKS DNA is introduced into a host cell under conditions where the plasmid becomes integrated into the DEBS genes on the chromosome of the erythromycin-producing strain by homologous recombination, to create a hybrid PKS. A preferred embodiment is when the donor PKS DNA includes a segment encoding a loading module in such a way that this loading module becomes linked to the DEBS genes on the chromosome. Such a hybrid PKS produces valuable and novel erythromycin products when cultured under suitable conditions as described herein. Specifically, when the loading module of the DEBS genes is replaced by the loading module of the avermectin-producing (avr) PKS, the novel erythromycin products contain a starter unit typical of those used by the avr PKS. Thus, when the loading module of the ery PKS is replaced by the avr loading module, Saccharopolyspora erythraea strains containing such hybrid PKS are found to produce 14-membered macrolides containing starter units typically used by the avr PKS.
As noted in International Application PCT/GB97/01810, it is unexpected that the 14-membered macrolide polyketides produced by such recombinant cells of S. erythraea are found to include derivatives of erythromycin A, showing that the several processing steps required for the transformation of the products of the hybrid PKS into novel and therapeutically valuable erythromycin A derivatives are correctly carried out. International Application PCT/GB97/01810 describes the unexpected and surprising finding that transcription of any of the hybrid erythromycin genes can be specifically increased when the hybrid genes are placed under the control of a promoter for a Type II PKS gene linked to a specific activator gene for that promoter. It is particularly remarkable that when a genetically engineered cell containing hybrid erythromycin genes under such control is cultured under conditions suitable for erythromycin production, significantly enhanced levels of the novel erythromycin are produced. Such specific increases in yield of a valuable erythromycin product are also seen for natural erythromycin PKS placed under the control of a Type II PKS promoter and activator gene. In a preferred embodiment, desired genes present on an SCP2*-derived plasmid are placed under the control of the bidirectional actl promoter derived from the actinorhodin biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces coelicolor, and in which the vector also contains the structural gene encoding the specific activator protein Act II-orf 4. The recombinant plasmid is introduced into Saccharopolyspora erythraea, under conditions where either the introduced PKS genes, or PKS genes already present in the host strain, are expressed under the control of the actl promoter.
Such strains produce the desired erythromycin product and the activator gene requires only the presence of the specific promoter in order to enhance transcriptional efficiency from the promoter. This is particularly surprising in that activators of the ActII-orf4 family do not belong to a recognised class of DNA-binding proteins. Therefore it would be expected that additional proteins or other control elements would be required for activation to occur in a heterologous host not known to produce actinorhodin or a related isochromanequinone pigment. It is also surprising and useful that the recombinant strains can produce more than ten-fold erythromycin product than when the same PKS genes are under the control of the natural promoter, and the specific erythromycin product is also produced precociously in growing culture, rather than only during the transition from growth to stationary phase. Such erythromycins are useful as antibiotics and for many other purposes in human and veterinary medicine. Thus, when the genetically engineered cell is Saccharopolyspora erythraea, the activator and promoter are derived from the actinorhodin PKS gene duster and the actI/actII-orf4-regulated ery PKS gene duster is housed in the chromosome, following the site-specific integration of a low copy number plasmid vector, culturing of these cells under suitable conditions can produce more than ten-fold total 14-membered macrolide product than in a comparable strain not under such heterologous control. When in such a genetically engineered cell of S. erythraea the PKS genes under this heterologous control are hybrid Type I PKS genes whose construction is described herein, more than ten-fold hybrid polyketide product can be obtained compared to the same hybrid Type I PKS genes not under such control. Specifically, when the hybrid Type I PKS genes are the ery PKS genes in which the loader module is replaced by the avr loading module, a ten-fold increase is found in the total amounts of novel 14-membered macrolides produced by the genetically engineered cells when cultured under suitable conditions as described herein.
The suitable and preferred means of growing the untransformed and genetically-engineered erythromycin-producing cells, and suitable and preferred means for the isolation, identification, and practical utility of the novel erythromycins are described more fully, in International Application PCT/GB97/01810.
Compounds of the present invention are produced by fermentation of an untransformed or transformed organism capable of producing erythromycins, including but not limited to Saccharopolyspora species, Streptomyces griseoplanus, Nocardia sp., Micromonospora sp., Arthobacter sp., and Streptomyces antibioticus, but excluding S. coelicolor. Particularly suitable in this regard are untransformed and transformed strains of Saccharopolyspora erythraea, for example NRRL 2338, 18643, 21484. Particularly preferred transformed strains are those in which the erythromycin loading module has been replaced with the loading module from the avermectin producer, Streptomyces avermitilis, or the rapamycin producer, Streptomyces hygroscopicus. The preferred method of producing compounds of the current invention is by fermentation of the appropriate organism in the presence of the appropriate carboxylic acid of the formula R1COOH, wherein R1 is as previously defined in formulae 1 or 2, or a salt, ester (particularly preferable being the N-acetylcysteamine thioester), or amide thereof or oxidative precursor thereof. The acid or derivative thereof is added to the fermentation either at the time of inoculation or at intervals during the fermentation. Production of the compounds of this invention may be monitored by removing samples from the fermentation, extracting with an organic solvent and following the appearance of the compounds of this invention by chromatography, for example using high pressure liquid chromatography. Incubation is continued until the yield of the compound of formulae 1 or 2 has been maximised, generally for a period of 4 to 10 days. A preferred level of each addition of the carboxylic acid or derivative thereof is between 0.05 and 4.0 g/l. The best yields of the compounds from formulae 1 or 2 are generally by gradually adding the acid or derivative to the fermentation, for example by daily addition over a period of several days. The medium used for the fermentation may be a conventional complex medium containing assimilable sources of carbon, nitrogen and trace elements.
The wide range of starter units accepted by the avr loading module has been comprehensively established in previous studies (for example European Patent Applications 0 214 731, 0 350 187, 0 317 148 which are incorporated herein in their entirety). Consequently, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific detail of these examples and simply serve to confirm the effectiveness of the avr loading module. Furthermore, the examples using the pIG1 or pND30 construct clearly demonstrate the capability of the actl promoter and its cognate activator gene actII-orf4 to ehance the expression of the novel compounds of this invention when linked to the avr loading module. It is also apparent from the examples that untransformed strains of Saccharopolyspora erythraea are also readily capable of taking up exogenously-supplied substrates to generate novel erythromycin polyketides. Consequently, it is also apparent to those skilled in the art that specific novel compounds of this invention can be readily produced by selection of the appropriate erythromycin producing strain (optionally incorporating the pIG1 or pND30 plasmid into the desired strain), and supplementing the fermentation with the appropriate starter unit. Thus, 6-deoxyerythromycin and 6,12-dideoxyerythromycin derivatives of the present invention can be readily produced using Saccharopolyspora erythraea NRRL 18643 or NRRL 21484 as indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,926 and WO 97/06266. Similarly, use of the Saccharopolyspora erythraea strains described by Weber et al. in J. Bacteriol., 164:425-433, 1991 can also be employed to obtain the desired novel analogues of the present invention. For example, strain UW24 can be used (optionally transformed by pIG1 or pND30) to obtain novel analogues of erythronolide B.
The term xe2x80x9cMexe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, refers to methyl.
The term xe2x80x9cEtxe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, refers to ethyl.
The term xe2x80x9cPrxe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, refers to propyl.
The term xe2x80x9cAcxe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, refers to acyl.
The term xe2x80x9chydroxy protecting groupxe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes acetyl, benzyloxycarbonyl, and various hydroxy protecting groups familiar to those skilled in the art include the groups referred to in T. W. Greene, P. G. M. Wuts, xe2x80x9cProtective Groups in Organic Synthesis,xe2x80x9d (J. Wiley and Sons, 1991).
The term xe2x80x9chaloxe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes fluoro, chloro, bromo or iodo.
The term xe2x80x9calkylxe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes saturated monovalent hydrocarbon radicals having straight, cyclic or branched moieties, or mixtures thereof. It is to be understood that where cyclic moieties are intended, at least three carbons in said alkyl must be present. Such cyclic moieties include cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl and cyclopentyl.
The term xe2x80x9calkoxyxe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes xe2x80x94O-alkyl groups wherein alkyl is as defined above.
The term xe2x80x9carylxe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes an organic radical derived from an aromatic hydrocarbon by removal of one hydrogen, such as phenyl or naphthyl.
The term The term xe2x80x9c4-10 membered heterocyclicxe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes aromatic and non-aromatic heterocyclic groups containing one or more heteroatoms each selected from O, S and N, wherein each heterocyclic group has from 4-10 atoms in its ring system. Non-aromatic heterocyclic groups include groups having only 4 atoms in their ring system, but aromatic heterocyclic groups must have at least 5 atoms in their ring system. The heterocyclic groups include benzo-fused ring systems and ring systems substituted with one or more oxo moieties. An example of a 4 membered heterocyclic group is azetidinyl (derived from azetidine). An example of a 5 membered heterocyclic group is thiazolyl and an example of a 10 membered heterocyclic group is quinolinyl. Examples of non-aromatic heterocyclic groups are pyrrolidinyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, tetrahydrothienyl, tetrahydropyranyl, tetrahydrothiopyranyl, piperidino, morpholino, thiomorpholino, thioxanyl, piperazinyl, azetidinyl, oxetanyl, thietanyl, homopiperidinyl, oxepanyl, thiepanyl, oxazepinyl, diazepinyl, thiazepinyl, 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridinyl, 2-pyrrolinyl, 3-pyrrolinyl, indolinyl, 2H-pyranyl, 4H-pyranyl, dioxanyl, 1,3-dioxolanyl, pyrazolinyl, dithianyl, dithiolanyl, dihydropyranyl, dihydrothienyl, dihydrofuranyl, pyrazolidinyl, imidazolinyl, imidazolidinyl, 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanyl, 3-azabicyclo[4.1.0]heptanyl, 3H-indolyl and -quinolizinyl. Examples of aromatic heterocyclic groups are pyridinyl, imidazolyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, pyrazinyl, tetrazolyl, furyl, thienyl, isoxazolyl, thiazolyl, oxazolyl, isothiazolyl, pyrrolyl, quinolinyl, isoquinolinyl, indolyl, benzimidazolyl, benzofuranyl, cinnolinyl, indazolyl, indolizinyl, phthalazinyl, pyridazinyl, triazinyl, isoindolyl, pteridinyl, purinyl, oxadiazolyl, thiadiazolyl, furazanyl, benzofurazanyl, benzothiophenyl, benzothiazolyl, benzoxazolyl, quinazolinyl, quinoxalinyl, naphthyridinyl, and furopyridinyl. The foregoing groups, as derived from the compounds listed above, may be C-attached or N-attached where such is possible. For instance, a group derived from pyrrole may be pyrrol-1-yl (N-attached) or pyrrol-3-yl (C-attached).
The phrase xe2x80x9cpharmaceutically acceptable salt(s)xe2x80x9d, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes salts of acidic or basic groups which may be present in the compounds of the present invention. The compounds of the present invention that are basic in nature are capable of forming a wide variety of salts with various inorganic and organic acids. The acids that may be used to prepare pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts of such basic compounds of the present invention are those that form non-toxic acid addition salts, i.e., salts containing pharmacologically acceptable anions, such as the hydrochloride, hydrobromide, hydroiodide, nitrate, sulfate, bisulfate, phosphate, acid phosphate, isonicotinate, acetate, lactate, salicylate, citrate, acid citrate, tartrate, pantothenate, bitartrate, ascorbate, succinate, maleate, gentisinate, fumarate, gluconate, glucaronate, saccharate, formate, benzoate, glutamate, methanesulfonate, ethanesulfonate, benzenesulfonate, p-toluenesulfonate and pamoate [i.e., 1,1xe2x80x2-methylene-bis-(2-hydroxy-3-naphthoate)] salts. The compounds of the present invention that include an amino moiety may form pharmaceutically acceptable salts with various amino acids, in addition to the acids mentioned above.
Those compounds of the present invention that are acidic in nature are capable of forming base salts with various pharmacologically acceptable cations. Examples of such salts include the alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts and, particularly, the calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium salts of the compounds of the present invention.
Certain compounds of the present invention may have asymmetric centers and therefore exist in different enantiomeric and diastereomic forms. This invention relates to the use of all optical isomers and stereoisomers of the compounds of the present invention, and mixtures thereof, and to all pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment that may employ or contain them.
The present invention includes the compounds of the present invention, and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein one or more hydrogen, carbon or other atoms are replaced by isotopes thereof. Such compounds may be useful as research and diagnostic tools in metabolism pharmacokinetic studies and in binding assays.